


Only Fools Fall in Love

by LePapillonRose



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, Kuroko is a good friend, M/M, Oblivious Kagami Taiga, lots of platonic goodness too because I love it, most of the MiraGen know what's up but Kagami is a giant dumb, so is Kasamatsu, the MiraGen and Kagami are almost third years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-06-01 19:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15150098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LePapillonRose/pseuds/LePapillonRose
Summary: Kagami, who has never taken an interest in anything besides basketball, realizes (with Kuroko's help) that he has a crush on Kise, and he's pretty sure he's screwed. Unfortunately for Kise (and Kasamatsu's patience), Kagami is also hopelessly dense.





	1. Kagami's Not-So-Secret Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I'm unfortunately a little late for KiKaga Day, but I hope you'll accept this regardless. With the way I've planned it, I'm pretty sure this will be a three chapter fic, but we'll see if anything changes on the way. Also, some background info: the MiraGen and Kagami have all just finished their second year and are on summer break before their third year. This means third year captains and vice captains have been announced (as you'll read later). Enjoy!

It’s a mild spring morning when Kagami walks to the park near his apartment, sports bag over his shoulder and excitement in his veins. It’s the perfect weather to play basketball, and he fully anticipates it will be a good game—he’s playing with the Generation of Miracles, after all. These games have become a monthly tradition of sorts ever since they had all played together as Team Vorpal Swords. Things have changed quite a bit since their first year, but Kagami is honestly glad that they’re friendly rivals now (which also means that Akashi has retired his scissors in favor of their intended purpose).

The sidewalk is relatively quiet, most people sleeping in for the weekend—but of course, the tranquility does not last for long. A telltale shout of “ _Kagamicchi!_ ” penetrates his headphones and he winces, only able to imagine how loud it was without them. Kise bounds up to him seconds later, wearing a Kaijou t-shirt, gym shorts, and an impish grin that eludes apology. “What? I had to make sure you heard me!”

“Along with everyone else on this street, apparently,” Kagami snorts, though not irritably, as he sets his headphones down around his neck. He offers Kise a friendly fist. “Congrats on the captaincy, by the way! I bet your old senpais are pumped about it.”

Kise’s face lights up and he enthusiastically returns the fist bump, glowing with pride. “Thanks, Kagamicchi! I called to tell them and they were all really excited, especially Kasamatsu-senpai. He sounded so happy!” He chuckles to himself before looking back to Kagami. “I heard from Kurokocchi that Furihata-kun is your new captain!”

“Yeah, there wasn’t any doubt! Furi really deserves it.” Kagami grins fondly at the mention of his teammate who had come so far in the two years they’d played together. “We’re all really proud of him and we’re sure he’ll be a great captain."

“I agree! He really knows when to step up. Plus, his nervousness could help him win over some of the first years.” Kise nudges Kagami with a smile. “No offense to you or Kurokocchi, but I think making you co-vice captains was the better decision.”

“None taken. Honestly, I’m surprised Coach even made me a vice captain to begin with. I was fine not being one.” Kagami rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Even with no presence, Kuroko’s better with people than I am. He’s got a lot more patience.”

“True, but he’s also quiet and can overthink things—which is perfect, because that’s where you come in!” Kise snickers. “You’re loud enough for the both of you.”

“Oi! I’m not _that_ loud!” There’s a brief pause in which Kagami realizes he is, in fact, proving Kise’s point, and he clears his throat in embarrassment. “S-speaking of Kuroko, I’m surprised you haven’t asked about him yet.”

“Oh, that’s because I already texted him! He walked Nigoucchi earlier and he’s taking him back to his house. I’m not complaining, though!” Kise slings his arm around Kagami’s shoulders and winks. “I like spending time with you, too, Kagamicchi.”

Kagami is used to the touchiness, but heat creeps into his cheeks at Kise’s sudden sincerity. Perhaps this is the most unexpected development following Vorpal Swords: his newfound friendship with Kise. It wasn’t that Kagami had disliked him in the past; Kise had plenty of redeeming qualities, but he was a kind of person Kagami didn’t think he could get along with. Besides basketball, they led completely different lives and didn’t have anything in common.

In Vorpal Swords, however, Kagami had gotten to know another side of Kise. During those months, Kise had often scheduled weekend shoots in Tokyo for the team’s convenience. He spent his free time with Kagami and Kuroko, but on days that Kuroko had family obligations, Kagami ended up alone with him. He had been unsure at first, but Kise, ever the extrovert, dispelled the awkwardness painlessly. He bombarded Kagami with questions about his life and hobbies, and Kagami was always surprised to see genuine interest in Kise’s eyes. Perhaps because of that, he found it easy to respond and ask questions of his own. Before long, idle chatter during scrimmages had become longer conversations like these, which blossomed into something even more.

Kagami glances Kise, who is now humming and looking ahead, arm still securely around his shoulders. He likes this Kise best, when his cheerfulness is natural and infectious instead of forced and overbearing, when he is comfortable and carefree and not as concerned with being the unattainably perfect being his profession and reputation demand.

“Oh, there they are!” Kise exclaims, pulling Kagami from his thoughts. “Looks like we’re right on time.”

Sure enough, the other Miracles are waiting at the entrance to the park. Momoi is the first to notice the pair. “Ki-chan! Kagamin!”

“Momocchi!” Kise readily accepts Momoi’s hug. “It’s so nice to see you!”

“I can’t believe you’re a captain now! I’m so proud of you.” A twinkle appears in Momoi’s eyes as she looks between Kagami and Kise. “You came together?”

“Uh… yeah?” Kagami is completely bewildered, but the rest of them seem to understand something he doesn’t. Kise is turning pink, Midorima huffs out a quiet sigh, Aomine rolls his eyes exasperatedly, Murasakibara shakes his head in disappointment, Akashi wears an ominously omnipotent smile, and Kuroko, who Kagami has finally noticed, stares at both of them as if he is trying to peer into their souls even more deeply than usual.

“Nothing like that, Momocchi! We just ran into each other!” Kise replies, hurriedly and vaguely—and, before Kagami can ask about what is going on, he abruptly changes the subject. “Anyway, thanks for dragging Aominecchi out of bed!”

“Hey, I actually woke up myself today,” Aomine scoffs, flicking Kise’s forehead and ignoring his outcry of protest. “As if I’d miss a chance to beat either of your dumb asses!”

Instantly, Kagami feels a vein pulse in his forehead; trust Aomine to make him forget about everything else. “Who’re you calling a dumbass, Ahomine?”

“You, Bakagami! Or are you too stupid to even realize that?”

“You both are the same, so there is no point of arguing.”

“Take that back, Tetsu!”

“Mine-chin and Gami-chin are too loud,” Murasakibara mumbles around his usual maiubo, rubbing an eye with a balled fist. “It’s too early for this.”

“Are either of you ever capable of being civil?” Midorima scolds with a frown. The day’s presumed lucky item, an oversized pair of wooden knitting needles, is positioned rather intimidatingly between his fingers, and Kagami and Aomine are quick to shut up.

“Kise, Kagami, it is good to see you both,” Akashi says with a small and much more normal smile. “And congratulations on your captaincy, Kise. I trust this time has not inconvenienced you?”

“Thanks, Akashicchi, and nope!” Kise chirps, back to normal as well. “I cleared out my schedule for the weekend.”

“Then it would appear that we are ready to begin.” Akashi nods at Momoi. “Momoi, if you would.”

The sticks are drawn and the game begins, just as thrilling as Kagami had anticipated. He, Kise, Kuroko, and Midorima fight hard against Akashi, Murasakibara, and Aomine and they manage to scrape out a win, thanks to Kise’s last-second behind-the-back to Kagami for a dunk against Aomine. It’s hard to tell which of the two is more excited, though Aomine yells angrily enough to rival their combined cheers.

“Nice one, Kagamicchi!”

Kagami hears Kise run over to him. He turns to give him a high five and compliment him on his pass when his breath catches in his throat.

Only an idiot would deny the good looks of the rising supermodel, but, in Kagami’s opinion, _this_ Kise, smiling so hard that the corners of his eyes crinkle and his cheeks dimple, puts his entire shoot portfolio to shame. Even with all the adrenaline already pumping through him, Kagami’s heart beats a little faster, a little harder.

“Kagamicchi? You okay?”

Kagami blinks out of his reverie, face reddening as Kise’s puzzled expression comes into focus. “Y-yeah! Just… just uh… nice pass!”

"Just that?” The smile easily returns to the blonde’s face, his eyes dancing with a playful _something_ , and he gives Kagami a high five. “It _was_ a pretty great pass, I suppose.”

“Careful, model-sama, your ego’s showing,” Aomine snickers from across the court.

It annoys Kagami immensely that even _Aomine_ seems to be in on something he isn’t—but, regardless, he is grateful that his lapse in behavior isn’t a topic of discussion as everyone packs up for lunch. After letting his towel dry out in the sun a bit, Kagami folds it into his bag, careful to avoid his headphones. Kuroko is seated on the same bench, observing Midorima and Aomine’s latest squabble as he drinks from his water bottle, and Kagami offhandedly remarks, “Isn’t it nice?”

Kuroko’s head tilts slightly in questioning. “Isn’t what nice?”

“You know.” Kagami gestures towards Kise, who has somehow joined the battle of brains and brawn—but on which side, he isn’t sure. “When Kise’s really happy like this.”

Kagami expects Kuroko to agree—it’s no secret that the phantom player does, in fact, have a soft spot for his besotted former teammate—but instead, he fixes him with a long, pensive stare that makes Kagami feel compelled to offer some poor attempt at an explanation. “L-like… doesn’t it make you feel all warm?”

Kuroko doesn’t answer, capping his water bottle. “Kagami-kun, have you ever had a crush?”

“A Crush?” Kagami furrows his brow. “Those sodas were pretty popular back in America, so yeah, but I don’t get what that has to do with—”

“Kagami-kun,” comes Kuroko’s calm, but also pained, voice. “A crush. Romantic feelings. The reason why our former coach and captain are dating.”

“O-oh.” Kagami has the decency to be embarrassed. “Well, to be honest, no. Also, to be honest, I’m still not sure where you’re going with this.”

“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko repeats patiently, as if speaking to one of the children at the daycare he volunteers at. “You blush around Kise-kun regularly, as if you find him attractive. You often worry and care for his well-being. You have grown very close with him, perhaps even closer than the rest of us. Do you have a crush on him?”

“No!” Kagami blurts the automatic response—but the moment it leaves his mouth and the rest of Kuroko’s very true words sink in, it doesn’t feel right. The clammy hands, the fumbled words, the hammering heartbeat—suddenly, all of his other odd behavior around Kise is starting to make sense. He thinks back to the endless strings of texts on his phone, which he always does his best to read and respond to so Kise knows he’s listening. He thinks back to the healthy bentos he makes for Kise whenever he has shoots in Tokyo, just to make sure he doesn’t skip meals. He thinks back to all the times he has wished he could make Kise smile, and all the times he accomplished it and felt like he had won the Winter Cup all over again.

“Shit,” Kagami realizes all at once, and though he was hungry just moments ago, he feels queasy and lightheaded, enough to collapse onto the bench next to his teammate. “ _Shit_ , Kuroko, I think you’re right. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

Kuroko looks at him as if the answer is painfully obvious. “Tell him.”

“That’s not helpful at all!” Kagami grouses, burying his face in his hands. “There’s no point of it anyway. He’s… he’s _Kise_. A model with thousands of fans who throw themselves at his feet. There’s no way in hell he’d like someone like me.”

“Oi, Bakagami, Tetsu, get a move on!” Aomine’s irritated voice interrupts them from a few feet away. “We’re all starving!”

“We are ready, Aomine-kun.” Kuroko stands, slinging his bag over his shoulder and helping the still unsteady Kagami to his feet. “Perhaps this is not the best place to continue this conversation, unless you would like everyone to know more than they already do.”

“I guess, but—wait, ‘more than they already do’?” Kagami groans in embarrassment, the reason for Aomine and the others’ strange reactions now evident. “Dammit, is it really that obvious?”

The corner of Kuroko’s lips quirk. “At times. Regardless, my answer is the same: I believe you should tell him.” The mysterious smile widens almost imperceptibly, further confusing Kagami. “You may be surprised by what happens.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NG Shuu moment: I just want you all to know that the first time I typed this particular line, it was, accidentally and hilariously:
> 
> Kagami blinks out of his reverie, face reddening as Kise’s puzzled expression comes into focus. “Y-yeah! Just… just uh… nice ass!”
> 
> Also, Akashi uses last names here because he is Oreshi in this fic and not Bokushi (aka, he isn't the heterochromatic I Am Absolute Akashi he was for most of the canon series - he's the old Akashi). I hope to see you all soon with the next chapter, where we'll move to Kise's perspective and reunite with our favorite captain~ Just an fyi, I'll be out of town next week, so the next update may be a little late!


	2. Kise's Not-So-Secret Predicament

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Firstly, I apologize for the month-long wait - I've had a busy month and I just never got to finish this chapter. I hope you enjoy it though, because it's a little longer than the first. In this chapter, we get Kise's pov: we see a little bit of Captain Kise and Kise gets a pep talk from Kasamatsu! There's also an OC at the beginning who is Kise's vice captain and he's properly introduced in the chapter.
> 
> Also, thank you to everyone who has left comments or kudos on this fic already! I'm so thankful and very happy that you like my work~

“Nice work today, everyone!” Kise calls after the whistle blows, giving the team a thumbs up. “Keep it up! We’ll meet again here at the same time next week.”

A chorus of “Yes, Kise-senpai!” follows, and Kise hovers around for the next few minutes as everyone packs up, making conversation with some of the incoming first years. They had been quiet in the beginning, perhaps intimidated by his grand introduction, but now, many of them willingly respond and even share little tidbits about themselves during breaks. It’s an exciting development; Kise is still figuring out how to be a captain, but he definitely wants the first years to be comfortable around him by the time school starts. It’s what his original team had done for him, and no matter how different his style is from Hayakawa’s or Kasamatsu’s, in the end,  _ this  _ is Kaijou basketball.

“So, Captain, what do you think?” 

Sanada Takumi, a fellow third year and Kaijou’s vice captain, approaches him once the rest of the team has left. He had stepped up as starting point guard after Kasamatsu’s graduation; Kise had been skeptical initially, but after a few successful practices and classroom conversations, he quickly grew to like the new starter, as did the rest of the team. Sanada is as competitive as all of them, but he is also carefree and affable, often serving as a voice of reason on the team. Being in the same class, he and Kise had bonded over their second year and become a formidable duo that had led Kaijou to an emotional victory against Touou in the Winter Cup. Kise appreciates Sanada for his level head, warm companionship, and sound advice, and there is no one else he would have wanted to be his vice captain more.

“I think we have a lot of talent! Fujiwara-kun might even make first string, since we’re in desperate need of a center. I’ll let Coach know at the beginning of the school year.” Kise slings his bag over his shoulder and turns to face Sanada with a laugh. “It’s so weird to hear you call me that! It still doesn’t feel real, being in Hayakawa-senpai and Kasamatsu-senpai’s place. They sure left some big shoes to fill.”

“They did, but I think you’ll grow into them quickly.” Sanada gives Kise a supportive pat on the back. “You’ve come a long way, Ryouta-kun! You’ve worked hard for this, and I know they and our other senpai would agree.”

“Adaptation  _ is _ my specialty!” Kise beams, throwing an arm around Sanada’s shoulders and starting to lead him out of the park. “Thanks as always, Takumicchi. I’m so glad I have you!”

“Don’t even mention it! I’m just doing my job.” Sanada smiles back and ruffles Kise’s hair fondly. The two easily and comfortably fall into step with each other, a reason for which Kise adores Sanada; it’s so nice to finally have a friend who accepts his physical affection. “Speaking of our old senpai, aren’t you going to see Kasamatsu-senpai today?”

Kise perks up at mention of his favorite former upperclassman. “Yeah, in an hour! I wanted to catch up, of course… and ask him for advice.”

“About the _situation?_ ” As always, Sanada instantly gets it, and he smirks slightly. “Are you sure he’s the best person to ask about that? You might be better off asking Moriyama-senpai, since he actually has a girlfriend now.”

“But Moriyama-senpai would just tell me to use pick-up lines and I already tried that!” Kise huffs, blowing a loose strand of hair out of his eyes. “Takumicchi, who responds to ‘do you have a bandage because I just scraped my knee falling so hard for you’ by not noticing the flirting, giving you a giant bandage, and then offering to put it on your nonexistent injury? _Who?_ ”

“I would say I’m surprised, but knowing Kagami-kun, I’m really not,” Sanada laughs, giving Kise a nudge. “At least he’s thoughtful though, right?”

Kagami had been, and Kise still feels terrible for taking the bandage and running for it—he just hadn’t had the heart to admit to the sweet concerned idiot that he wasn’t actually hurt and he didn’t want to be caught in a lie. The memory makes him pout, cheeks pink. “Okay, fine, it was adorable, but you see my problem! Kagamicchi is too dense for pick-up lines.”

“All the more reason to tell him directly!” Sanada encourages. “That’s my advice, at least. It sounds like that’s the only way he’ll actually get it.” 

“I guess… I’m going to run it by Kasamatsu-senpai anyway. He always knows what to do!” Kise chirps, the pep in his step returning. “My street is here! Are you coming, Takumicchi?”

“As much as I’d love to, Hinami-nee is coming to visit with the twins so I have to be there.” Sanada smiles apologetically, ducking out from under Kise’s arm and raising a hand in farewell. “Tell him I say hi, though! And text me if you end up doing anything.”

“Okay! Say hi to all of them for me, too. See you next week!”

“Yeah! Take care, Ryouta-kun.”

With that, Kise goes on his way to meet Kasamatsu. Even though he had left with an hour to spare, most of the extra time is taken away by random fan encounters and he ends up arriving a few minutes late. Thankfully, he spots Kasamatsu waiting outside of their usual ramen shop.

“Kasamatsu-senpai!” Kise exclaims. Ignoring the dozens of heads that turn at his voice, he engulfs the older boy in an exuberant embrace.

“Oi, do you always have to make a scene?” Kasamatsu grumbles, but there is a warm fondness behind his words as he pats Kise’s back a few times. “Let me go, you flashy idiot!”

“Would it be me if I didn’t?” Kise asks cheekily, though still doing as he’s told. “I can’t help that I’m so popular!”

“Even as a captain, you’re still a brat.” The corner of Kasamatsu’s mouth quirks into a lopsided smile, unspoken pride shining in his eyes. “And hey, congrats, Kise. You’ve done well.”

Not expecting such sudden sincerity from his former captain, Kise is overcome with emotion all at once, throat constricting and tears threatening to spill from his eyes. As brief as it is, to hear such a thing from Kasamatsu is more valuable than any other praise he could receive. “Thank you, senpai,” he replies, beaming to cover the fact that he may embarrassingly be about to cry. “I promise that I’ll work hard!”

“I’m holding you to that.” The smile remains on Kasamatsu’s face as he reaches up to roughly ruffle Kise’s hair. “C’mon, let’s go eat! I’m hungry and you’re late, so now you owe me.”

Despite his threat, Kasamatsu does end up treating Kise, and the pair catches up over giant steaming ramen bowls. Kasamatsu tells Kise all about college life (or rather, his lack thereof because he is a socially awkward math major, but Kise keeps that to himself) as well as how Moriyama, Kobori, and the Team Strky players are doing. Kise regales him with stories from the new Kaijou team and the Generation of Miracles—which, he figures, is a good time to segue into another topic of interest.

“Kasamatsu-senpai, I want your advice about something.”

Kasamatsu frowns, seemingly concerned by Kise’s serious tone, and sets his chopsticks down. “What’s up?”

Kise leans forward, lowering his voice just in case a fan or a rogue Kuroko is around. “What do you do when you have a crush on a friend who’s too stupid for his own good?”

There’s about three seconds of pindrop silence before a shoe jabs painfully into Kise’s calf. “What the hell, Kise?” Kasamatsu demands, an angry vein pulsing in his forehead. “What’s with that face? I thought you were going to ask something important!”

“But it _is_ important, senpai!” Kise whines. “You’re so mean! I’m pouring my heart out to you here!”

“Why would you ask _me?_ ” Kasamatsu says incredulously, the tips of his ears turning red. “You know I’m not—that I don’t—”

“—have any experience and I should ask Moriyama-senpai or Hyuuga-san because they’re in relationships, yes, but I want to ask _you,_ ” Kise interrupts with a small huff. “I want to hear what  _ Kasamatsu-senpai  _ thinks, not Moriyama-senpai or Hyuuga-san, or anyone else, for that matter.”

It’s an indirect reaffirmation of the immense trust Kise places in Kasamatsu and they both know it. Kasamatsu searches Kise’s gaze before letting out a sigh. “…Right,” he finally relents. “Well, that’s… a complicated question. It depends on the person—and, seeing as I just found out you have a crush two minutes ago, I don’t know who that person is and I can’t give a fair answer.” There’s a pause and Kasamatsu groans. “What, you want me to guess now?”

“Why not?” Kise winks, resting his chin in his hand as a smile dances on his lips. “Guessing is fun!”

“What happened to pouring your heart out?” Kasamatsu retorts, pinches the bridge of his nose. “Alright, fine. Aomine?”

“Good guess, but nope! That was in middle school.”

“Great,” Kasamatsu deadpans. “Keep it there.”

“Senpai!” Kise bursts out laughing at the blunt dismissal. “Aominecchi isn’t  _ that  _ bad!”

“He pisses me off!”

“ _Everyone_ pisses you off.”

“He _royally_ pisses me off.” Kasamatsu scowls at the thought of Touou’s ace. “But alright, if it isn’t Aomine… Kagami?”

Kise blinks in surprise. “Wow, you got it fast! I didn’t think you would since you haven’t seen me with him recently.”

“Well, since you said he’s too stupid for his own good, it wasn’t that hard. It had to be either of those two hotheads. I guess Kagami’s a minor improvement over Aomine…” Kasamatsu leans back in his seat, folding his arms. “Sanada, Hayakawa, and Nakamura mentioned you two had been hanging out more since Vorpal Swords, but when did  _ this _ happen?”

“When you hang out with a person more, you get to know them better! I got to know Kagamicchi: it’s as simple as that.” Kise’s expression softens considerably, dispelling any of Kasamatsu’s lasting reservations. “He’s actually really caring underneath that rash and loud basketball junkie. Like I accidentally let it slip that I forget to eat on shoot days sometimes and now he texts me to eat or he makes me bentos, if I’m in Tokyo! He’s a really good cook. He even lets me put my arm around him now!”

“Are we talking about the same Kagami?” Kasamatsu asks suspiciously. “You’re sure you’re not talking about his Yousen brother?”

“Nope, this is definitely Kagamicchi! He’s charming in his own way, believe it or not.” Kise smiles fondly, remembering the way Kagami’s face lights up like a child on Christmas when someone praises his cooking. “Kagamicchi… makes me feel like myself. He’s not friends with me because I’m a model or a basketball ace—we met through basketball, but it’s not why we’re still here. He listens to me complain about work, he responds to all my texts, he worries about me, he makes me laugh… I can completely be myself around him.”

“Huh, this is deeper than I thought it would be,” Kasamatsu remarks, raising an eyebrow at Kise. “To answer your initial question: why don’t you just tell him? I mean, I’m not good with this stuff, but it’s obvious that you like him a lot, and it seems like he could, too, from what you’re telling me.”

“Takumicchi said that, too, but…” Kise sighs, voice growing quieter and more vulnerable. “I guess I’m trying to avoid it because it’s so direct. Right now, I can’t tell if he feels the same way or not, despite the signs, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship. It would be nice to give dating a chance, of course, but I always want to be his friend. That’s the most important thing to—h-huh?”

The light flick to Kise’s forehead makes him look up at his irritated friend in surprise, but not pain. “Quit being dramatic! What makes you think you won’t be friends if he doesn’t return your feelings, idiot? After saying all those good things about him, shouldn’t you have more faith in him than this?”

Kise opens his mouth in retort, but as Kasamatsu’s words sink in, he really thinks about it. Kagami is a very loyal, big-hearted person, and Kise would like to think that Kagami considers him a good friend. Perhaps Kagami would blush and be awkward for a bit, but ending their friendship seems extreme, even in Kise’s worst case scenario. “...You’re right, senpai,” he realizes. “You’re absolutely right!” 

Kasamatsu scoffs. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” 

“I’m gonna tell him today!” Kise declares, reinvigorated as all the possibilities race through his head. “Oh, wait, he’s not available today… then tomorrow! Oh, no, I have a shoot… then—”

“Kise.” Kasamatsu’s clipped call of his name snaps him out of his planning. “I’m glad you sorted some of your shit out, but there’s half a bowl of ramen in front of you, and, since I paid for it and you forget to eat, you better not let  _ one bit  _ go to waste.”

“No sir!” Kise says immediately, picking up his chopsticks; he has plenty of time to think about this afterwards. “By the way, Kasamatsu-senpai?”

About to dig into his bowl, Kasamatsu sighs. “What now, Kise?”

“Thank you.” Kise smiles brightly at him. “ _Really,_ thank you.”

“It’s nothing, idiot. You’re the one who made the decision.” Kasamatsu smiles a little, though he returns to his normal prickly self moments afterwards. “If you’re really thankful, you’ll finish the rest of your bowl, so shut up and eat!”

“Yes, captain!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Just some random blurbs about stuff in this chapter:
> 
> 1) Kise is my favorite KuroBas character and I adore him and his team to bits and pieces so writing him as a captain, even for this small amount, made me emotional haha. As for the Winter Cup win versus Touou, I'd like to imagine that Kise learned to extend the duration of his Zone Perfect Copy - that's a formidable power for sure!
> 
> 2) I've always wanted to give Kise a friend or teammate who's sort of like him and open to skinship, and hence Sanada was born! They were in the same homeroom in second year so they really got to know each other - that's why they refer to each other by their first names.
> 
> 3) I decided to give Moriyama a gf because why not? He's a good boy even if his pick-up lines are lame. (Sorta related, I headcanon Kasamatsu to be demi or ace which is why he still flusters a lot over this stuff. He's a sweetie pie~)
> 
> 4) I headcanon that Kasamatsu starts out a math major because it's his best subject, but he realizes he wants to do something more tangible with it, so he becomes a mechanical engineer. He suffers because what engineers don't, but he does enjoy it.
> 
> 5) I'm actually an AoKise shipper as well so the comments Kasamatsu made about Aomine weren't meant to be malicious! I just think that, in a potential romance situation, Kasamatsu would be very protective of Kise and what Kasamatsu has personally seen in their interactions would influence him more than Kise's word.
> 
> 6) Even if AoKise isn't the end game ship in a fic, I really love the idea of Aomine being Kise's first crush~
> 
> I'm still in the middle of a busy couple of months, but I'll try to update soon!


	3. It Takes One to Know One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, my dear friends! Here's the conclusion to this fic, and I really like how this chapter came out. It's longer than the other two chapters, but I don't think anyone will mind that~ Please enjoy!

Kagami’s realization adds an extra layer of stress to his already hectic schedule as a third year vice captain. Thankfully (and unfortunately, because Kagami’s heart is as smitten as it is skittish), Kise has been busy juggling his own responsibilities, so it has given Kagami some time to ponder what to do. The only thing he’s sure about is that he does indeed _like_ like Kise; if anything, their recent separation has reinforced that fact, since he misses the blonde’s presence, worries about him during school, and looks forward to his kaomoji-filled texts at the end of the day.

Even after many weeks of deliberating whenever he has a free moment, Kagami is unsure about what his next move should be. He’s never dealt with anything like this before, and he really doesn’t know who to ask for help. Kise  _would_ be his first choice, but he’s out for obvious reasons. The other Miracles are a clueless bunch when it comes to romance, and though Aomine is the closest to Kise, Kagami would rather die than try talking to him about this. He is also too embarrassed to bring it up to his teammates, because he knows Seirin will face Kaijou during the season and he doesn’t want things to be awkward. Momoi is too close to the situation, knowing Kise very well, but Alex and Himuro are too far, barely knowing Kise at all. He can already hear their teasing about their little tiger cub growing up.

It’s a stalemate that always brings Kagami back to Kuroko. Kuroko may be close to Kise, but Kuroko is also trustworthy, and Kagami knows he would never divulge sensitive information if asked. In the same vein, admirably, Kuroko also refuses to divulge anything about Kise. Every time Kagami asks a question, his co vice captain’s answer unhelpfully remains the same: “Tell him, Kagami-kun. You may be surprised by what happens.”

It’s so cryptic, so _Kuroko_ , that it makes Kagami irritated. He isn’t very good at reading between the lines—something the shadow is definitely aware of—so he can’t tell if Kuroko is hinting at something or messing with his head. He supposes it’s payment for having borrowed Kuroko’s ear so many times, and he can’t deny that it’s nice to have someone who knows his secret.

However, his feelings about that change _very_ quickly.

It starts with a text as Kagami makes breakfast on a Saturday morning. He turns the heat down on the stove to glance at his phone, unable to help the stupid grin that makes its way across his face. It then turns into a scowl as he realizes Kuroko has snuck into his contact list, _again_ , and changed Kise’s name, complete with a little heart.

 **_Kagami-kun’s dearly beloved_ ** **♡** **_:_ ** _KAGAMICCHI!!! i have a question!!!_

The lack of kaomojis is a sign that it’s urgent, as Kagami has learned; he’ll have to change the contact name back later. He sets down his spatula and dials the number. Kise picks up after just one ring, sounding very frazzled.

“Kagamicchi, thank goodness you’re awake! Everything’s a mess!”

“Are you okay?” Kagami asks, tentatively because he isn’t sure how serious ‘everything’ is.

“No!” Kise takes a deep breath, and Kagami knows a long explanation is going to follow. He puts his phone on speaker and sets it on the counter, away from the frying pan, before starting to cook again. “So I was supposed to get this weekend off, but my manager got an offer for a shoot literally an hour ago and it’s from _Anidas_. There’s no way I can turn it down!”

“Damn, Anidas?” Kagami whistles, flipping his bacon. “Congrats, Kise! That’s great news!”

“Isn’t it? I’m going to be modeling their new activewear line.” Kagami can practically see Kise sparkle with pride on the other end, and it makes him smile in spite of himself. “But that’s not the problem. The problem is that it’s at 6AM in their Tokyo headquarters tomorrow morning, way before any of the trains start running. No one can drive me, either, because my parents are on a business trip and my sisters are away at college… so I was wondering if I could stay at your place for the night?”

Kagami only barely manages to save his frying pan from a nasty fall. Grease splatters across his freshly-laundered shirt, but he’s too stunned otherwise to notice. “Wh-what?” he croaks, less than attractively.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s really sudden!” Kise apologizes, and Kagami can hear the hint of real desperation in his voice. “Trust me, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have other options. I would’ve tried Kurokocchi, but his house is too far. I checked and the headquarters building is only a half hour walk from your apartment. Pretty please, Kagamicchi?”

Kagami finally manages to find his voice, setting the pan back down on the stove. “Uh yeah, it’s fine! I have a lot of space so you can stay here, no problem.”

“You’re a lifesaver! Thank you so much.” Kise heaves a huge relieved sigh on the other end. “I owe you one big time.”

“Glad I could help.” Kagami moves the contents of the pan around and continues conversationally, even though his heart is beating out of his chest, “Then… are you free today? Since you said your weekend was off?”

“Yeah! I’m just finishing up morning practice with the team. Takumicchi and I are cleaning up.”

“Do you wanna come over before tonight and hang out?” Kagami blurts out, not even a second after the response. He’s incredibly thankful that Kise can’t see his reddening face. “Then you can uh… repay me with lunch. Or something.”

Kagami fully expects Kise to snicker about his awkwardness on the other end, but he doesn’t. Instead, he replies with unmeasurable excitement, “Sure, I would love to! I’ll meet you at your place in an hour, then?”

Kagami lets out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. “Yeah, alright! Take your time, though. Practice is important, too.”

“I will, don’t worry! See you soon, Kagamicchi.”

Kise hangs up, and Kagami remains hunched over the stove, the realization of what he’s done starting to set in. The big plate of bacon and eggs before him doesn’t look appetizing anymore, and he picks up his phone again and dials a familiar number.

“Hello?”

“Kuroko, I fucked up.”

“Good morning to you, as well, Kagami-kun,” the shadow says, a hint sardonic. “It would not be the first time.”

“No, Kuroko, I _really_ fucked up.” Kagami plops down into a chair, running a hand over his face as he recalls his recent conversation with Kise. “I asked Kise to hang out with me today _and_ he’s staying the night.”

“Actually, that is quite an achievement. Congratulations on rediscovering your American roots and asking him out so boldly.”

“H-hey, it’s not like that!” Kagami sputters at the insinuation, flushing from head to toe. “He’s staying because of a shoot, and he asked me first! But my stupid ass asked him if he wanted to come earlier to hang out, and he said yes.”

There’s a brief pause. “I still fail to see the issue, Kagami-kun. All you are telling me is good news.”

“It’s _bad_ news! How the hell am I gonna face him for a whole day now that I’m aware of this whole crush thing?” Kagami groans in frustration. “Kuroko, you have to tag along, at least during the day. I’ll do anything, I swear. I’ll buy you as many vanilla milkshakes as you want for the whole year. I’ll even dogsit Nigou. You just need to come. I’m _begging_ here.”

“While that is a tempting offer, I am afraid I must decline,” Kuroko responds, without any respite that would indicate that he had really considered the offer. “Today is my grandmother’s birthday and my family is celebrating with her.”

“Ah, crap, I forgot.” Kagami frowns, feeling a little guilty because he personally knows Kuroko’s grandmother and how close Kuroko is to her. “I won’t tear you away from something that important.”

“Thank you. But regardless, this sounds like a perfect opportunity for you to tell Kise-kun how you feel.”

“You keep saying that like it’s easy,” Kagami grumbles. “The guy’s staying over tonight and I don’t wanna make things weird, especially since he’s got a big shoot in the morning.”

“On the contrary, it may give him extra energy.”

“There you go with that confusing shit again! What the hell does that even mean?”

“You should find that out for yourself.”

“Yeah, like the billion other times you’ve told me that.” Kagami shakes his head in exasperation, even if Kuroko can’t see. “Also, ‘ _Kagami-kun’s dearly beloved_ ’? Really?”

“Do not forget the heart,” Kuroko adds, as if this is a normal topic of discussion. “I copied it from one of Kise-kun’s texts to you, so it is authentic. Also, I am touched by how often you actually respond to him.”

Kagami’s face burns with embarrassment. “Th-that’s—how the hell did you even get in?”

“Legally,” Kuroko replies in dry amusement. “It is not very difficult when your passcode is your birth year, Kagami-kun.”

“Oi, don’t patronize me when _you’re_ the one sneaking into my phone, you little shit!”

“I only did so thrice.” Kagami is fairly certain Kuroko is smiling on the other end, which does nothing good for his already irritable mood. “I will be hanging up now, since my parents are calling. Please give Kise-kun my regards, and please consider what I told you. Good luck.”

“I’ll _think_ about it,” Kagami relents sullenly. “Say happy birthday to your grandma for me. I’ll drop by with a fruit tart tomorrow, after Kise leaves.”

“She will be very happy to hear that. I will see you then, Kagami-kun.”

“Yeah, later.”

Kuroko hangs up, and Kagami slouches over in his seat, letting his forehead hit the table with a smack. The pain is fleeting compared to the anxiety gnawing at his insides. He knows Kuroko has a point, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. This _is_ a perfect opportunity; there’s no telling when he will be able to see Kise again like this, no fangirls, no teammates, no Miracles, just both of them. And, frankly, he’s growing tired of skirting around his feelings.

That brings Kagami back from his refuge in the wooden table top. He reaches for his phone, quickly changing the joke contact name; if he’s going to do this today, the last thing he wants is for it to be ruined by something stupid on his phone. At least the conversation with Kuroko has renewed his hunger. He grabs the plate of bacon and eggs, deciding he’ll contemplate over breakfast.

After eating, Kagami washes his dishes and starts to tidy up his apartment; it isn’t very messy to begin with and Kise probably wouldn’t notice, but he figures he should out of courtesy. The guest bedroom is already set, thanks to Himuro’s tidiness when he had stayed there last, but his own bedroom is a different story, school papers and stray socks everywhere with a pile of dirty laundry in the corner. Not that he _wants_ Kise to see the inside of his bedroom (the implication of that breaks his brain a little), but he knows Kise will anyway because closed doors don’t deter him, so he might as well.

Kise arrives at his doorstep a half hour later, flushed and breathless but still unfairly beautiful in his stylish t-shirt and skinny jeans. “Hey, Kagamicchi!” he exclaims, and his dazzling smile manages to knock the wind out of Kagami, as if _he_ were the one doing the traveling. “Sorry I’m late! I got held up by fans at the station.”

“I-it’s fine. It’s not like we’re on a schedule.” Kagami had expected something like that; Kise’s popularity has skyrocketed to new heights after Kaijou’s Winter Cup victory, and he seriously doubts that the baseball cap the blonde is wearing can contain his radiance. He steps aside to let Kise in, unable to help a snort when he sees the suitcase rolling behind him. “Jesus, Kise, it’s only one night.”

“I need to be ready!” Kise huffs, pausing to take off his Birkenstocks. “I have to look my best tomorrow, so I brought all my moisturizers and creams in case if I break out. Plus I need room for anything they give me tomorrow.”

“Are you expecting a closet?” Kagami asks in disbelief, and Kise pouts and shoves him. It makes Kagami chuckle; at least teasing him is still natural. He leads Kise to the guest bedroom. “This one’s your room, so you can put your stuff in here. The bathroom’s on your left. I checked to make sure everything’s stocked, but if you need anything, just ask.”

“It all looks good, but I will. Thanks, Kagamicchi!” Kise parks his suitcase next to the nightstand and takes off his cap before flopping onto the bed. He closes his eyes and lets out a pleased hum, and the small, content smile on his face makes Kagami’s heart clench with fondness and longing. The scene looks so right—Kise in his apartment, masks retired and completely relaxed, and he is happy to be one of the people that Kise trusts enough to let his guard down like this.

“Kise, I—”  

“And thanks again for letting me stay! You really saved me.”

Of course, Kise decides to start speaking again right when Kagami does. Golden eyes blink up at him sheepishly. “Sorry! You were saying?”

“Uh…” Kagami tries to muster up his courage again, but he can’t, not when Kise is looking right at him and releasing butterflies in his stomach. “I-I was just saying, we don’t have to go out today. Since you’re tired, you can just rest.”

Kise’s expression softens and he sits up, hair adorably messier than usual. “You’re so sweet, Kagamicchi, but this _is_ my rest! I haven’t been able to see anyone outside of practice or work recently, so when you asked me to come over, I was really happy and relieved.” He grins at Kagami, reaching out to playfully punch his arm. “I missed you, you know. I _want_ to hang out with you!”

The butterflies multiply exponentially, and Kagami wonders if it’s possible to barf them, because that is what he feels like doing at this very moment. He manages to return Kise’s smile, shakily, and hopes to every deity that he isn’t blushing. “I-if you’re sure. What do you wanna do?”

“Well, I got hungry the train and I _do_ owe you lunch, so I think we should start there! And then we can hit the mall and a basketball court.” Kise leaps to his feet with renewed energy, smirking at Kagami. “If _you_ aren’t too tired, of course.”

“As if!” Kagami grins, feeling more like himself at the prospect of a one-on-one. “You’re on, Kise!”

The day with Kise is enjoyable, as usual. Kagami doesn’t mind shopping for clothes, and once Kise stops rambling about brands or designers, he has a good eye for what colors and styles look best. Kagami gets roped into it when Kise suggests a pale yellow shirt to him and, after seeing what it looks like on, gasps and demands that Kagami buy it. Even if it’s nice quality, it’s just a t-shirt with a pocket—a different color and tighter than what he usually wears, too—so Kagami doesn’t understand the blonde’s insistence, but it ends in Kise buying it for him, as another thank you for housing him.

The one-on-one ends in a tie, only because both of them realize that they need to save some energy to get home. Kise’s improved his stamina a lot, not even limping on his old bad foot after going all out. It’s a good sign, and Kagami can’t wait until Seirin gets to face Kaijou— _Kise’s_ Kaijou, he recalls proudly—at the Interhigh and Winter Cup. The blonde really does have limitless potential, and Kagami isn’t sure if he should be awed, intimidated, or both.

“You’re scary, Kise.” Kagami voices his thoughts once the pair is back at his apartment and working on dinner. He puts a baking tray of marinated salmon fillets into the oven, while Kise chops vegetables for a quick salad—all healthy, to ensure that Kise doesn’t break out by the morning. “What kind of hellish training have you been putting your team through?”

“You’re only just realizing that, Kagamicchi?” Kise shoots him a smirk, which looks extra foreboding because he’s still holding the knife. “I learned from Kasamatsu-senpai, so it’s obviously pretty hellish. But I’ve been doing a lot of training on my own, too! Aida-san gave me some pointers about my foot after we played against Jabberwock, so I’ve been following his advice.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s really good at that stuff. Makes sense, since it’s his job.” Kagami leans against the counter, folding his arms and watching Kise’s knifework. Though he moves fast, his cuts are fairly even; Kagami wonders if it’s the result of Perfect Copy. “Do you cook often?”

“I don’t have that much time, but I do like it! Whenever our parents are away on a business trip and Ritsuko-nee and her husband aren’t there, Rumi-nee and I take turns.” Kise scrapes the chopped vegetables into a bowl and sets the knife down, pouting a little. “Rumi-nee is a really good cook, so she’s a harsh critic… but it’s helped me get better, I think.”

Kagami nods, handing Kise another bowl to make the vinaigrette. “It sucks, but sometimes you need to hear it so you can fix it. Tatsuya used to do that with me when we were little. Alex would always eat everything and tell me it was amazing, but Tatsuya would give me constructive criticism.” He can’t help but laugh at the memories. “He  _sounded_ nice, but he’d say some pretty harsh things. Alex always got mad at him for it.”

“That definitely sounds like Himuro-san!” Kise chuckles as well, measuring out the olive oil and balsamic vinegar before whisking them together. “I can understand though; I’m the same way sometimes.”

“You can say that again.” Kagami nudges Kise’s shoulder as he adds a spoonful of miso paste to the mix. “You were like that with me before our practice match in first year.”

“Yeah, about that…” Kise shifts uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck with a laugh. “Sorry, Kagamicchi. It wasn’t right of me to do that—to you or anyone else, really. I’ve been working on that.”

“Nah, it’s fine. We’re all assholes in our own ways anyway.” Kagami offers Kise a grin, which he thankfully returns. “I’ll be the first to say that I’m not the nicest guy around, and none of the other Miracles are, either, except for Kuroko—and even he has a snarky side. But we still all get along and we’re still all growing. I think what matters is that you’re aware of it and working on it.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you were a motivational speaker!” Kise snickers even as Kagami cuffs him in the shoulder. “Kasamatsu-senpai told me the same thing, actually. He said he’s proud of me for realizing it.”

“He should be; you’ve come a long way since that practice game.” Kagami gives Kise another smile before he takes the tray out of the oven and sets it on the stovetop. “Kuroko’s proud of you, too.”

“And what about you, Kagamicchi?”

Kise asks that with a humorous lilt, but he looks so earnest and hopeful that it throws Kagami a little off kilter. “Is that even a question?” he asks gruffly, reaching over to ruffle Kise’s hair. “Obviously, dumbass.”

The resplendent glow on Kise’s face afterwards is completely worth it.

Dinner is a mostly quiet affair after Kise’s boundless praise for Kagami’s cooking, as both players had worked up both a fatigue and an appetite after their intense game. Kise then excuses himself to shower, since he has to start getting ready for bed soon, and Kagami mulls over the day’s events as he washes the dishes. He is surprised at himself, mostly, for not turning into a complete mess around Kise; he’s done better than he thought. He wants to text Kuroko about his triumphs, but there’s still one crucial thing he hasn’t done that would make the shadow unimpressed. He certainly did try, considering the words were almost out of his mouth, but he can already hear Kuroko admonishing him: “Since when does Kagami-kun give up and do things halfway?” Kagami sighs; this must be a sign that he’s been talking to Kuroko too much.

“Shower’s free, Kagamicchi,” Kise announces a few minutes later, bringing Kagami out of his thoughts. He smells Kise’s body wash and whatever else before he actually sees him. Kise then strolls into the kitchen in a blue tank top and shorts, gently towel-drying his hair. Kagami can’t quite place it, but somehow, Kise looks a little different. His eyes, though still framed by ridiculously long lashes, are less dramatic, and Kagami can see the beginnings of dark circles underneath them. He’s still handsome, of course, but it feels more raw, more real.

“Oh yeah, this is your first time seeing me without makeup!” Kagami flushes at being caught, and Kise lets out a laugh that sounds more subdued than normal. Kise plops down next to him on the couch, chirping, “Sure is magical, huh? Sorry that you have to see my bare face, though. I’ll be back to being pretty tomorrow.”

Kagami has never heard Kise imply that he’s anything less than stunning before, so he is rightfully startled by the self-deprecation in his tone. It doesn’t sound like a joke, which bothers him immensely. Did Kise really think that Kagami found him ugly like this? Words tumble out before he can stop them.

“You’re still pretty right now, so don’t say that! Hell, you’re _always_ pretty! It doesn’t matter if you’re in some fancy magazine or on the court or just here with me, Kise. You’re still the most beautiful goddamn person I’ve ever seen.”

It feels good to let some of his pent-up emotion from the past months out, but the moment he closes his mouth, Kagami is acutely aware that, for the second time that day, he has fucked up—and he’s not sure if this time will work out as well as the last. Kise is as red as Kagami feels like he is, and he doesn’t know if it’s a good or bad reaction.

“Kagami,” Kise says, and Kagami’s heart drops because the nickname is gone. “Do you like me?”

The insinuation is clear, despite how careful and guarded Kise’s voice is. This is absolutely _not_ the way Kagami wanted this to go, but really, he dug his own grave after his rambling. Not quite able to look Kise in the eye, Kagami hangs his head, resigned to his fate. “Y-yeah, I… I like you, Kise. Sorry. I-I knew you wouldn’t return it, so I wasn’t gonna say anything, but we can just uh… pretend I never said anything and go back to normal, yeah?”

Kagami hears a strange choking sound next to him and looks to Kise in alarm, fearing the worst. What he sees is even worse than that.

Kise is _laughing_.

“Wh—what the fuck, Kise?” Kagami demands, both abashedly and angrily. “Shut up, this isn’t funny! Oi!”

“Bakagamicchi, you’re such an _idiot,_ ” Kise chides, wiping some tears away. He looks at Kagami expectantly, smile still wide on his face. “Kiss me.”

“I-I’ve never—” Kagami’s brain then catches up with his ears, and he gapes dumbly at Kise. “W-wait, why—why do you want me to—”

“I like you, Kagamicchi,” Kise states, sincere and simple, and before Kagami can process anything more, Kise’s lips are on his. They’re warm and plush and taste like coconut lip balm, robbing Kagami of any remaining ability to think coherently. He half-expects to wake up at any second and discover that he was dreaming, but everything about this is so _real_ and it hits him that his crush is _really_ kissing him. Kagami reaches up with a hesitant hand to cup that flawless face that has been on his mind for so long, and his heart soars as Kise sighs contentedly against him.

The kiss is sweet and chaste, and when they draw back, Kise laces their fingers together, anchoring Kagami to earth when he feels like he’s floating in the clouds. “In case you didn’t notice, I return your feelings. I have for a while now.” The blonde laughs quietly, cheeks a rosy pink. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that, actually.”

It takes a few more moments before Kise’s words really sink in. “Did… did you know?” Kagami stammers, still incredulous about the turn of events. “All those times that I…”

“Sort of,” Kise admits sheepishly, shrugging. “But I wasn’t sure, and Kurokocchi wouldn’t give me a straight answer when I asked… so I didn’t act on it, just in case.” He smiles, eyes crinkling in that way that lets Kagami know he's truly, incredibly happy, and his heart skips a beat. Kise is so close now that Kagami can see freckles across the bridge of his nose. "I'm glad I did this time, though."

"M-me, too." Kagami's pretty sure Kise can _feel_ the heat emanating from his face, but he squeezes Kise's hands tightly to let him know that he means his words. “Kuroko did the same thing with me, actually. I guess he was listening to both of us, so he was kinda obligated to not say anything.” He scowls, but only halfheartedly, because technically Kuroko is the reason for why Kise is sitting in front of him and beaming as if the sun didn't exist. “I guess we’ll have to tell him about… about _this_ at some point.”

“I think he’ll be happy, whenever we tell him! Looking back at the things he told me, and things he probably told you, too, Kurokocchi might be our biggest supporter.” Kise laughs and slips his hands out of Kagami’s, tapping the tip of his nose. “We’ll think about that later. I'll hang around tomorrow after my shoot, so we can discuss. But for now, I need my beauty sleep and you need to shower!”

“Shit, you were supposed to be asleep an hour ago! Sorry about uh…” Kagami blushes as he remembers how they had gotten into this conversation in the first place. “This, I guess.”

“I think things are better now that you’ve done 'this.' Our feelings are finally out in the open and we return them, which is so exciting! Plus, hearing you compliment me so much was a special treat.” Kise winks at him, which is somehow even more flustering now than when he did it before the confession. “But, if you’d _really_ like to make it up to me… I’ll never say no to cuddling.”

Kagami feels himself redden even more, not because he’s against the idea, but because he _likes_ it, very much. “I-I guess… we can try that…”

“Ah, Kagamicchi, your blushing is so cute! You’re too adorable!”

“Sh-shut up! I am _not!_ ”

Of course, Kagami can’t say no to Kise, especially not now, so he pretty much accepts that they are going to cuddle. Kise bursts through his bedroom door as if it were never closed—just as Kagami had predicted earlier in the day, though certainly not with these circumstances—excitedly looking around the room and itching to explore "Kagamicchi's world." Kagami leaves him to it, opting to finally take his (well-deserved, in his opinion) shower.

When Kagami returns, everything is surprisingly still intact and in place, and he isn’t at all surprised to then find Kise fast asleep on his bed, on top of the sheets and blanket. He can’t help but smile at the scene—a scene he never thought he would get to see—and he starts to maneuver the blonde underneath the covers. Kise only briefly wakes at the very end, happily mumbling, “Taigacchi~” and giving Kagami another heart attack. He’ll have to talk to him about that nickname later. For now, though, he only leans down and presses a clumsy kiss into Kise’s forehead.

As he tucks Kise into his arms and the sleeping beauty nuzzles into his cheek, as if he were always meant to be there, Kagami makes a mental note that he definitely owes Kuroko milkshakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand thank you for reading, everyone! I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad that others liked it, as well. I'm still rather busy irl, but I want to post a cute fluffy epilogue once I have the time. A huge thank you again to everyone who bookmarked, kudosed, or commented on this fic! You guys really kept me going.


	4. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, here is the epilogue I promised! It's short and fluffy, since I felt like I didn't get to write enough fluff in the previous chapter.

Grinning from ear to ear, Kise hops up the stairs two at a time, eager to get to Kagami’s apartment—his  _ boyfriend’s _ apartment, he reminds himself cheerfully. It’s been three months since that fateful night that Kagami had confessed to him, but Kise still thinks about it more than he’s willing to admit. He’s still on cloud nine and  _ everyone  _ notices. Their friends shoot them nasty looks when they so much as glance at one another (“Stop eyefucking already!” Aomine always shouts, to Kagami’s embarrassment, and Kise huffs because he does have  _ some  _ decency, thank you very much). Tabloids and forums are already abuzz with speculations about the lucky girl that has captured the heart of the heartthrob, but Kise can’t be too upset. While the rumors  _ are  _ on the right track, they are still comfortably far enough that he won’t have to worry about anyone discovering Kagami and shoving a camera in his face. 

Kise has always been enamored with the idea of love. He was raised on romantic comedies, courtesy of his older sisters, and he’s been getting confessions from girls since primary school, even before his rise as a model. Still, nothing could have prepared him for having his feelings returned. He’s proud of himself for restraining his tears in the moment—though when he finished his shoot and came back to the sight of Kagami preparing lunch for both of them, he suddenly couldn’t stop crying. Kagami had panicked, but Kise assured him they were happy tears, and they hugged and kissed against the counter for as long as the kitchen timer allowed them, making up for lost time.

Kise finds Kagami’s suite easily, unlocking the door with the spare key he’s been entrusted with and skipping inside. “Taigacchi, it’s me!” he announces, so as not to scare him. With the wonderful aroma in the air, it’s easy to guess where his boyfriend is. He closes the door behind him and follows his nose into the kitchen.

Kagami looks up from the stove, a wide grin on his handsome face, and Kise feels his heart melt a little. “Hey, Ryouta! You’re early—not that it’s a bad thing. Just hope you don’t mind waiting a bit on lunch.”

“I don’t mind! It smells great, as always.” Kise walks over to Kagami, hugging him tightly and giving him a quick peck. “And hey, you got it right this time!”

“Y-yeah?” Kagami flusters, scratching his cheek. “Sorry, I’m still getting used to it… I’ve spent so long calling you Kise that it’s a habit.”

Kise smiles at the precious display and kisses Kagami’s cheek. “I know! I’m just teasing you. It just makes me happy when you call me by my given name.”

“W-well, I’d do anything to make you happy.” Kagami’s blush deepens when the words leave his mouth and he clears his throat. “A-anyway, uh, we’re having tonkatsu. I know it’s not the best for your diet, but you guys  _ did _ beat Rakuzan yesterday, so… victory cheat day?” 

“Sounds good to me! But I have something for you first.” Kise reaches for his bag, winking when Kagami’s forked brows furrow. “It’s a present!”

Kagami looks between him and the bag, regarding him with sudden concern. “Uh… am I missing something? I thought our anniversary was next week…”

“It  _ is _ next week, and I’m glad you remember, but this is unrelated.  _ This _ —” Beaming, Kise throws the mystery item onto the counter with a flourish. “—is my photobook! But not just any photobook—it’s the Anidas shoot!”

“What, seriously? It’s finally out?” Kagami’s face breaks out into just as huge of a grin, mirroring his, and he engulfs Kise in an embrace. “Congrats, Ryouta! I know how long you’ve been waiting for this.”

Kise laughs, basking in the warmth and power of the bear hug—when truly happy like now, Kagami tends to forget his own strength—and squeezing back with the energy of the joy bundled in his own body. “Yup, it’s finally here! And we’re already set for a reprint, because almost every carrier is already sold out!”

“That’s great news! Your hard work paid off.” Kagami finally lets go of Kise—thankfully, because it was getting a little difficult to breathe—and turns his attention to the photobook. Immediately, his mouth drops open at the cover, and Kise grins proudly. The director had given him some creative license, so, after hours of poring over the hundreds of photos he took that morning, he had chosen  _ this  _ shot himself. 

Model Kise leans back against a chain link fence, wearing fitted blue joggers, a matching jacket, and a black muscle top underneath. One of his hands tousles his golden hair to artful perfection, while the other side of his jacket hangs off the shoulder to reveal a toned bicep. His lidded eyes gaze directly into the camera, an elusive whisper of a smile playing at his lips. It’s meant to allure and enchant, and, judging from Kagami’s reaction, it has definitely served its purpose.

“Nice, huh?” Kise asks, unable to help a snicker when Kagami sputters. It’s adorable, really, how every new shoot he presents to his boyfriend has the same effect. “The director likes this one, too! He said I was on fire that day.”

“Really? Why, what…” Kise waits patiently for Kagami to figure it out, and is rewarded a few moments later with a blush. “Oh, right, that was… the day after…”

“It sure was!” Kise drops a kiss on Kagami’s shoulder before resting his chin there, arms winding around his waist. “Everyone was saying that, actually. Even the makeup ladies said so!”

“I thought I’d mess you up, honestly,” Kagami confesses, starting to leaf through the pages. “Though I guess it wouldn’t show in the pictures anyway.”

“Of course! I’m a professional before anything, after all.” Kise smiles as Kagami pauses on each photo, as if committing it to memory. “Any favorites?”

“All of them,” Kagami answers with such honesty that Kise’s chest squeezes tight. “I mean, I don’t know about modeling or anything, but… you’re really in your element, and I can tell just by looking at these. It’s kinda like when you’re on the court.” 

Kagami reddens when he realizes he’s rambling and not quite answering the question. He clears his throat before pointing to one of the pictures towards the end of the book, a more candid shot where Kise is smiling widely. “This one. This one’s my favorite.”

“You’re such a  _ sap, _ Taigacchi,” Kise says with a huff, burying his face into the junction of Kagami’s neck and shoulder to hide his own blush and smile. How did Kagami manage to make him so happy and so embarrassed at the same time?

“Sh-shut up, I wasn’t trying to be! I was just telling you like you asked!” Kagami protests. He then roughly ruffles Kise’s hair to get his attention. “But hey, can I keep this?”

Kise perks up, tilting his head. “The photobook?”

“Yeah!” Kagami flushes in the face of Kise’s inquisitive look. “Because… it’s sorta what brought us together, y’know? If this shoot hadn’t happened, who knows how long we would’ve gone without…” 

Kagami trails off when he looks at Kise again, and Kise feels like his face might break in half with how widely he’s smiling. “Wh-what?”

“You are the biggest sap in the world and I’m absolutely in love with you.”

This isn’t how Kise envisioned this would go at all—he had planned to say the l-word after dinner on their anniversary—but the words come spilling out of him now, as if they were destined to in this moment. He watches Kagami’s expression with a hint of trepidation, worried that he may have moved too fast—but then Kagami leans in to kiss him, over and over and over, and his heart soars with joy yet again.

“I love you, Ryouta,” Kagami blurts, slightly out of breath but still sincere and endearing. “I love you so damn much and I wanted to say it before but I didn’t know—”

Kise presses a finger to Kagami’s lips. “It’s okay, Taiga,” he says without the usual epithet to soothe his boyfriend. “I was holding back, too, but we both know now! So it’s all okay.”

“Y-yeah, I guess so.” Kagami lets out a sigh. “It’s nice to get it off my chest.”

Kise smiles and nuzzles against his cheek. “Same here. And, to answer your question, of course you can have it! Just give me a marker and about a minute.”

“A marker?” Kagami echoes in confusion. “Why?”

“To sign it, of course!” Kise pecks Kagami’s cheek, beaming at him. “With a special message for my number one fan.”

“Number one fan?” Kagami grimaces slightly. “You’re not seriously gonna write that, are you?”

“It was just an example! It was supposed to be cute!” Kise pouts; this, too, is classic Kagami, but in a different way. “Okay, fine. I’ll write… ‘to my love, Taigacchi.’ How’s that?”

“Who’s the sap now?” Kagami grumbles, spots of color rising on his cheeks. “F-fine. I guess.”

“I never denied it! Guilty as charged,” Kise chirps with a wink, grabbing a marker from the kitchen drawer. “You know you love me, and fortunately for you, I love you just as much.”

“ _Un_ fortunately,” Kagami replies, but he still trades places with Kise to plant a kiss at the base of his neck, and Kise can’t help but smile. “But, at the same time… I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now, finally, we've come to the real end of this fic. I want to thank everyone who has commented, kudosed, bookmarked, or even just read this! It was a real labor of love and I had a lot of fun writing it. Best of luck to all of you in your writing or other life endeavors, and I hope to see you in the next fic! ♥


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